This invention relates to a vent device for an ostomy appliance in the form of a pouch with a vent for exhausting gas from an abdominal opening following surgery. Certain abdominal surgery procedures, such as a colostomy, a cecostomy and an ileostomy, result in an opening in the abdominal wall, sometimes referred to as a stoma, which permits drainage from the intestinal tract. Following such surgery, the patient is sometimes unable to control the drainage of liquids and solids and the exhaust of gas, as a result of which various drainage and collection appliances have been utilized.
For example, it has been conventional to utilize a drainage collection pouch together with means for sealing the pouch to the abdomen around the abdominal opening, so that the pouch is constantly in position to collect liquid and solid drainage at all times. The prior application of Nolan et al for U.S. Letters Patent Ser. No. 181,961, filed Sept. 20, 1971 (now U.S. Pat. No. 3,759,260), and assigned to the assignee of this application, relates to drainage collection pouches provided with vent means for exhausting gases. Also, the prior application of Nolan et al for U.S. Letters Patent Ser. No. 290,149, filed Sept. 18, 1972 (now U.S. Pat. No. 3,804,091), relates to a drainage collection pouch with vent means and an absorbent pad for absorbing wet drainage.
Some collection pouches are utilized in circumstances which contemplate collection of substantial quantities of liquids or solids, while other pouches are utilized under circumstances which contemplate collection of little or no drainage of liquids or solids. However regardless of the collection of liquids or solids, there may be gaseous discharge. Since some of the gas may have objectionable odor, it is important that the gaseous discharge be controlled. Usually, it is not practical to collect gas in an air-tight pouch, because the gas tends to inflate the pouch, as a result of which there may be an undesirable bulge or the buildup of pressure may loosen the appliance and force it away from the patient's abdomen. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide means for venting a collection pouch utilized for controlling gaseous discharge. In view of objectionable odors, it is desirable to control the venting.
The prior applications for U.S. Letters Patent mentioned above relate to pouches in which a vent device with a charcoal filter is incorporated in the pouch construction as originally manufactured. However, in spite of the availability of pouches with vent devices constructed therein, there are many commercially available collection pouches without vent devices which are customarily utilized by many patients. It would be desirable to provide a separate attachable vent device for use in connection with collection pouches which are not originally constructed with vent devices.